What's Going On With AABE?

On this final episode of season 1 for Always Bet on Black, Paula Glover sits down with Ralph Cleveland (incoming AABE CEO and President) to talk all things leadership, his upbringing and so much more

For all things AABE, follow us on social media @AABE

About Ralph Cleveland:

Over three decades of experience in varied aspects of project, asset, enterprise, corporate, and community development. Seasoned corporate executive with strong business leadership and business transformation skills. Key experience in strategy formation and execution, including associated strategic transactions and the needed due diligence. Highly experienced in production, operations, and operations risk management across multiple industries including having managed all aspects of engineering, design, construction, and project delivery. Key market exposure and business analysis across every region of world. Key industry experience in energy, risk management, technology development and commercialization along with having chief executive experience in various aspects of the natural gas processing, storage, transportation, and distribution. Have led industry groups in many aspects of the energy and power industry value chain.Experienced in community engagement, development, and sustainability including strategy formation, economic development, innovation and entrepreneurship, environmental sustainability, economic inclusion, capital formation, workforce development, diversity management, human and civil rights advocacy, and emergency preparedness and disaster recovery.

Paula had the pleasure of sitting down with Rick Thigpen (SVP of Corporate Citizenship at PSEG) to chat all things black leadership, Rick's background on Wall St which led him into politics, and his current position at PSEG

For all things AABE, subscribe to this podcast and follow us on social media @AABE www.aabe.org

About Rick Thigpen:

Richard T. Thigpen was named senior vice president – Corporate Citizenship in July 2018. Mr. Thigpen is also chairman of the PSEG Foundation. He is responsible for areas of the business that drive public policy through advocacy, including federal, state and local government affairs, sustainability, charitable activities and corporate social responsibility. Mr. Thigpen is a member of PSEG’s Executive Officer Group. Mr. Thigpen joined PSEG in March 2007 as vice president –State Governmental Affairs of PSEG Services Corp. He has been a public affairs consultant since 1999 and was a co-founding partner of 1868 Public Affairs, which provides lobbying, strategic planning, public relations and government relations services to clients in New Jersey, New York and Washington, D.C. Previously, Mr. Thigpen served as an associate at the New York law firm of Thacher Proffitt and Wood in the mortgage-backed securities practice group (1988 to 1990), was district director for U.S. Rep. Don Payne (NJ-10) (1990 to 1996) and executive director of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee (1996 to 1999). He also has served as a political analyst for New Jersey Network and as an academic associate for PublicMind, Fairleigh Dickinson University Polling and Survey Research Institute. Mr. Thigpen also was a former assistant to the president of the NAACP State Conference for Public Affairs. He is currently a member of the boards of the Regional Plan Association, the New Jersey Climate Change Alliance, the New Jersey Legislative Black Caucus Foundation, New Jersey Television, the Brown University Alumni Association and the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund. He also is a member of the American Association of Blacks in Energy’s national board and chair of the Legislative Issues and Public Policy Committee.

Mr. Thigpen holds a Doctor of Law degree from Columbia University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Brown University.

Understanding your past is one of the toughest things leaders can do. How can my experiences, failures or misguided beliefs help shape me as a leader?

AABE CEO Paula Glover explores these questions in her latest conversation with Timothy Alan Simon (Principal at TAS Strategies) and much more. They cover his background, how to changed beliefs later in life, and everything leaders.

For all things AABE, subscribe to this podcast and follow us on social media @AABE www.aabe.org

About Timothy Alan Simon

Timothy A. Simon is a former California Public Utilities Commissioner and Appointments Secretary for the State of California. TAS Strategies, his consulting and legal advisory firm, serves clients on utility infrastructure, energy, broadband and financial services. TAS Strategies offers innovative solutions across the entire spectrum of power generation, delivery, and utilization. Timothy is an esteemed attorney, consultant, law professor, expert witness and public speaker combining over 40 years of experience in government regulations, utilities, financial services and diversity.

AABE CEO Paula Glover is back with another episode of Always Bet on Black, this time sitting down with Robert Wilkinson, Professor in Leadership at Harvard.

In this episode, Robert and Paula dicuss all things leadership: what makes good leaders, how we ALL are really leaders, and how you can grow and become a leader. This fascinating conversation leaves you with 3 credit hours at Harvard (double check us on that) for listening all the way through!

For all things AABE, subscribe to this podcast and follow us on social media @AABE www.aabe.org

About Robert Wilkinson

Robert Wilkinson teaches courses on negotiation and leadership, specializing in team and group dynamics.  He is on the faculty at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and was previously a faculty member of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.

Rob successfully supports numerous Fortune 500 companies, major government agencies, international organizations, and charities, helping them to build their negotiation, leadership and team management skills, and to increase their overall effectiveness. He has more than 25 years of experience, in over 50 countries, across the public, private and not-profit sectors.

Non-profit and public sector clients include the United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Wildlife Fund, National Urban League, US Postal Service, CARE International, the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the White House, where he trained Presidential Appointees in negotiation, management and leadership.

Corporate clients include companies such as Deloitte, Chevron, IBM, Merck, Fidelity Investments, ExxonMobil, Johnson & Johnson, Bank of America, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Thermo Fisher Scientific and many others.

Previously, Rob worked overseas for 15 years, on a variety of international projects. This included spending three years in Rwanda working with Hutu and Tutsi communities, two years working with the UN Peacekeeping Mission in Angola, and 18 months in Laos, consulting on a variety of community development programs. He began his overseas work in Nicaragua, in both Sandinista and Contra areas.

Rob earned his Masters of Science (MS) from Stanford University, and Bachelors of Science (BS) from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Welcome to the AABE Podcast with your hosted, Paula Glover: CEO and President of the American Association of Blacks in Energy!

On todays episode, Paula turns over the reins to Anuj A. Shah, Managing Director at KKS Advisors where he helps leads the firm operations, specifically ESG and impacting investing.  Mr. Shah moderates this panel which includes AABE's very own Gwen Mizell (who also doubles as the Vice President of Sustainability at Ameren)  Rose McKinney-James (Managing Principal at Energy Works LLC) and Jonathan Firestein (MD at Purpose Capital Advisors).

They discuss all things ESG and sustainability investing. Its a wonderful conversation, thanks all for joining us

Follow AABE on social via @AABE on all platforms. For all things AABE, visit us at www.aabe.org

Originally aired 7/22/2020

AABE CEO Paula Glover is back with another episode of Always Bet on Black, this time sitting down with Shannon Pierce (Vice President Growth and Chief External Affairs Officer for SouthStar Energy Services.

This conversation starts by learning more about Shannon, why she studied law, how the energy business found her (not the other way around) and how to be the change we want to see in our companies.

For all things AABE, subscribe to this podcast and follow us on social media @AABE www.aabe.org

About Shannon Pierce:

Shannon Pierce is Vice President and Chief External Affairs Officer for SouthStar Energy Services, part of the Southern Company family of componines

Since joining Southern Company Gas in 2004 as regulatory counsel for the company's legal activities with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Pierce has held additional leadership roles with increasing responsibility.

Prior to her current position, she served as vice president of external affairs for the southern operations division of Southern Company Gas, where she was responsible for regulatory and governmental affairs for three natural gas utilities: Atlanta Gas Light, Chattanooga Gas and Florida City Gas. In addition, she led engagement efforts with retail natural gas marketers in Georgia.

In previous roles, Pierce also served as Southern Company Gas senior counsel for gas operations and interstate transactions; as well as southern operations managing director of regulatory affairs and marketer services and vice president of state and federal regulatory affairs. Prior to joining Southern Company Gas, Pierce was an associate in the energy and utilities group at McGuire Woods LLP, based in Richmond, Va.

Paula Glover (CEO of American Association of Blacks in Energy) is back for another awesome conversation with her friend of over 25 years, Frank Reynolds, President of UIL Holdings which oversees multiple nation and state wide power infrastructure.

They chat Frank's time in the US National Guard, the many twists and turns his career took, how to balance patience with aggression, and again touch on the value of mentorship (common Always Bet On Black theme). If you laugh half as many times as they did, it was a successful episode!

For all things AABE, please visit us at www.aabe.org. Follow us on all social platforms @AABE.

Show Resources:

Frank Reynolds:

Frank Reynolds began his utility career in operations and administration at Connecticut Natural Gas and Southern Connecticut Gas, where he served as the assistant to the CEO during the merger of those companies with Energy East. His subsequent assignments included serving as Vice President of Asset Management and Planning for Avangrid Networks, and prior to that as Vice President of General Services for Iberdrola USA.

A Connecticut native, Reynolds holds a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of New Haven and a bachelor’s degree in industrial technology from Central Connecticut State University. He has completed executive course work at Iberdrola’s School of Management, the Ross School of Business and at Wharton.

In addition to his service with the Army National Guard, from which he retired in 2004 after 20 years, Reynolds previously served in both board and advisory capacities with the Urban League of Rochester, N.Y., Consumer Credit Counseling Services of Rochester and on the Advisory Board of Roberts Wesleyan College, also in Rochester. He is currently on the Advisory Board at the University of New Haven.

Welcome to the AABE Podcast with your hosted, Paula Glover: CEO and President of the American Association of Blacks in Energy!

On todays episode, Paula sits backs and lets Tene Dolphin, Director of Business Diversity for the City of Birmingham lead a dicussion around US supply economics and fallout. Tene talks with Dr. Dean Foreman, Chief Economist with the American Petroleum Institute and Brydon Ross, Vice President State Affairs for the Consumer Energy Alliance

Follow AABE on social via @AABE on all platforms

For all things AABE, visit us at www.aabe.org

Originally aired 7/15/2020

Episode #5 of Always Bet on Black with Paula Glover returns for another wonderful conversation, this time with Barrett Hatches, CEO of Chicago Family Health.  Barrett is a natural leader, having work in senior roles at numerous utilities companies. This conversation starts with Barrett's background, getting roles without really applying, and how to be your authentic self.

For all things AABE, please visit us at www.aabe.org. Follow us on all social platforms @AABE.

Show Resources:

Barrett Hatches Bio:

Barrett Hatches joined Chicago Family Health Center in February 2014. He manages an operating budget of more than $20 million and oversees more than 200 staff members including physicians, dentists, administrative, clinical and support staff across five health center sites. He oversaw the expansion of services at CFHC resulting from a new state-of-the-art healthcare facility in Pullman, and the recent Affordable Care Act opportunities which include expansion of Medicaid and enrollment in the health insurance marketplace.

Prior to joining CFHC, Mr. Hatches served as Executive Consultant for Hatches Consulting, LLC in Kansas City, MO where he helped clients harness leading strategic solutions to ensure organizational success.  Mr. Hatches also served as President and Principal Owner of BHMM Energy Services in Indianapolis, IN.

Mr. Hatches has extensive experience in community health having served as CEO and Chief Operating Officer at Swope Community Enterprises for almost a decade. Like CFHC, Swope Health Services is a Federally Qualified Health Center serving the greater Kansas City area providing primary health, outreach and behavioral health to the underserved living below the poverty level.

Mr. Hatches received his Ph.D. in urban higher education from Jackson State University in Jackson MS, an M.A. in business from Webster University in Kansas City, MO and his B.A. in Political Science also from Jackson State University in Jackson MS.

Welcome to the AABE Podcast with your hosted, Paula Glover: CEO and President of the American Association of Blacks in Energy!

On todays episode, Paula talks with Todd Hillman (SVP at MISO) and Tobias Whitney (VP of Energy Security at Fortress Information Security.  This powerhouse group talks all things energy security and what we need to do to stay ahead of the curve

Follow AABE on social via @AABE on all platforms

For all things AABE, visit us at www.aabe.org

Originally aired 7/8/2020